[Which is the role of the oral iron therapies for iron deficiency anemia in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients? Results from clinical experience].

Iron deficiency afflicts about 60% of dialysis patients and about 30% of non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients (ND-CKD). The role of iron deficiency in determining anemia in CKD patients is so relevant that guidelines from the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) initiative recommend treating it before starting with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. KDIGO guidelines suggest oral iron therapy because it is commonly available and inexpensive, although it is often characterized by low bioavailability and low compliance due to adverse effects.

Renal Resistive Index of the Main Renal Arteries and Transmitral Flow in Hypertensive Patients.

In hypertensive patients, diastolic dysfunction is related to increased resistive index (RI) of parenchymal renal arteries. To determine the existence of a link between RI of the main renal arteries (RRI) and diastolic dysfunction, a group of 127 hypertensive patients, with glomerular filtration rates >50 mL/min (mean estimated glomerular filtration rate: 88.6 ± 15.

Oral Sucrosomial® iron versus intravenous iron for recovering iron deficiency anaemia in ND-CKD patients: a cost- minimization analysis.

Background: Oral iron is recommended as first line treatment of anemia in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD) patients. Sucrosomial® iron, a new generation oral iron with high absorption and bioavailability and a low incidence of side effects, has shown to be not inferior to intravenous (IV) iron in the replacement of iron deficiency anemia in patients with ND-CKD. Besides the clinical benefit, it is also important to determine the comparative total costs of oral versus IV iron administrations.

Idiosyncratic hepatic toxicity in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patient in combined treatment with tolvaptan and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid: a case report.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a hereditary disease characterized by the presence of renal cysts. Over time the expanding cysts lead to progressive renal failure. The use of tolvaptan, a V-receptor antagonist, was recently approved in ADPKD patients.

Prominent longitudinal strain reduction of left ventricular basal segments in treatment-naïve Anderson-Fabry disease patients.

Aims: Little is known about regional longitudinal strain (LS) distribution in early stages of Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) cardiomyopathy. We investigated regional left ventricular (LV) patterns of LS strain and base-to-apex behaviour of LS in treatment-naïve AFD patients.

Methods And Results: Twenty-three consecutive AFD patients at diagnosis and 23 healthy controls without cardiovascular risk factors and matched for age and sex to the patients, underwent a comprehensive evaluation of target organs.

Nuclear imaging in detection and monitoring of cardiotoxicity.

Cardiotoxicity as a result of cancer treatment is a novel and serious public health issue that has a significant impact on a cancer patient's management and outcome. The coexistence of cancer and cardiac disease in the same patient is more common because of aging population and improvements in the efficacy of antitumor agents. Left ventricular dysfunction is the most typical manifestation and can lead to heart failure.

[Endothelial function as a marker of pre-clinical atherosclerosis: assessment techniques and clinical implications].

Endothelium plays a key role in maintenance of vascular homeostasis. Cardiovascular risk factors promote development of endothelial dysfunction, characterized by increased vasoconstriction and by procoagulant/pro-inflammatory endothelial activities. In coronary artery, endothelium-dependent dilation improves blood flow, while the occurrence of endothelial dysfunction reduces myocardial perfusion, so new methods have been developed for assessment of endothelial function in coronary and peripheral arteries.

Ischemic heart disease in systemic inflammatory diseases. An appraisal.

Systemic inflammatory diseases are inflammatory syndromes that are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The link between inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases can be attributed to coexistence of classical risk factors and of inflammatory mechanisms activated in systemic inflammatory diseases and involving the immune system. Yet, clinical implications of these findings are not entirely clear and deeper knowledge and awareness of cardiac involvement in inflammatory diseases are necessary.

Effects of ranolazine in symptomatic patients with stable coronary artery disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ranolazine (R), as add-on therapy in symptomatic patients with chronic stable coronary artery disease (CAD), has been tested in randomized clinical studies. Aim of the study was to assess in a meta-analysis the effects of R on angina, nitroglycerin consumption, functional capacity, electrocardiographic signs of ischemia and hemodynamic parameters in patients with chronic CAD.

Methods: Randomized trials assessing the effects of R compared to control on exercise duration, time to onset of angina, time to 1mm ST-segment depression, weekly nitroglycerin consumption and weekly angina frequency were included in the analysis.

[New perspectives in cardiovascular risk reduction: focus on HDL].

Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, mostly contributing to hospitalizations and health care costs. Dyslipidemias represent one of the major cardiovascular risk factor and its management, throughout life-style modifications and pharmacological interventions, has shown to reduce cardiac events. The risk of adverse cardiovascular events is related not only to elevated LDL blood levels, but also to decreased HDL concentrations, that exhibit protective effects in the development of atherosclerotic process.